Emergency department and hospital crowding: causes, consequences, and cures

Overcrowding with associated delays in patient care is a problem faced by emergency departments (EDs) worldwide. ED overcrowding can be the result of poor ED department design and prolonged throughput due to staffing, ancillary service performance, and flow processes. As such, the problem may be add...

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Main Authors: Peter McKenna, Samita M Heslin, Peter Viccellio, William K Mallon, Cristina Hernandez, Eric J Morley
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine 2019-09-01
Series:Clinical and Experimental Emergency Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ceemjournal.org/upload/pdf/ceem-18-022.pdf
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author Peter McKenna
Samita M Heslin
Peter Viccellio
William K Mallon
Cristina Hernandez
Eric J Morley
author_facet Peter McKenna
Samita M Heslin
Peter Viccellio
William K Mallon
Cristina Hernandez
Eric J Morley
author_sort Peter McKenna
collection DOAJ
description Overcrowding with associated delays in patient care is a problem faced by emergency departments (EDs) worldwide. ED overcrowding can be the result of poor ED department design and prolonged throughput due to staffing, ancillary service performance, and flow processes. As such, the problem may be addressed by process improvements within the ED. A broad body of literature demonstrates that ED overcrowding can be a function of hospital capacity rather than an ED specific issue. Lack of institutional capacity leads to boarding in the ED with resultant ED crowding. This is a problem not solvable by the ED and must be addressed as an institution-wide problem. This paper discusses the causes of ED overcrowding, provides a brief overview of the drastic consequences, and discusses possible cures that have been successfully implemented.
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spelling doaj.art-5838b7c55a0e419ca2b97032486a28342023-02-24T04:12:48ZengThe Korean Society of Emergency MedicineClinical and Experimental Emergency Medicine2383-46252019-09-016318919510.15441/ceem.18.022238Emergency department and hospital crowding: causes, consequences, and curesPeter McKenna0Samita M Heslin1Peter Viccellio2William K Mallon3Cristina Hernandez4Eric J Morley5 Department of Emergency Medicine, Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY, USA Department of Emergency Medicine, Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY, USA Department of Emergency Medicine, Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY, USA Department of Emergency Medicine, Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY, USA Department of Emergency Medicine, Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY, USA Department of Emergency Medicine, Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY, USAOvercrowding with associated delays in patient care is a problem faced by emergency departments (EDs) worldwide. ED overcrowding can be the result of poor ED department design and prolonged throughput due to staffing, ancillary service performance, and flow processes. As such, the problem may be addressed by process improvements within the ED. A broad body of literature demonstrates that ED overcrowding can be a function of hospital capacity rather than an ED specific issue. Lack of institutional capacity leads to boarding in the ED with resultant ED crowding. This is a problem not solvable by the ED and must be addressed as an institution-wide problem. This paper discusses the causes of ED overcrowding, provides a brief overview of the drastic consequences, and discusses possible cures that have been successfully implemented.http://www.ceemjournal.org/upload/pdf/ceem-18-022.pdfcrowdingemergency service, hospitalpatient safety
spellingShingle Peter McKenna
Samita M Heslin
Peter Viccellio
William K Mallon
Cristina Hernandez
Eric J Morley
Emergency department and hospital crowding: causes, consequences, and cures
Clinical and Experimental Emergency Medicine
crowding
emergency service, hospital
patient safety
title Emergency department and hospital crowding: causes, consequences, and cures
title_full Emergency department and hospital crowding: causes, consequences, and cures
title_fullStr Emergency department and hospital crowding: causes, consequences, and cures
title_full_unstemmed Emergency department and hospital crowding: causes, consequences, and cures
title_short Emergency department and hospital crowding: causes, consequences, and cures
title_sort emergency department and hospital crowding causes consequences and cures
topic crowding
emergency service, hospital
patient safety
url http://www.ceemjournal.org/upload/pdf/ceem-18-022.pdf
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